Jury convicts Basil Borutski of first, second-degree murder in 2015 killing spree
Posted Nov 24, 2017 03:11:12 PM.
Last Updated Nov 24, 2017 04:49:04 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA – Basil Borutski, the man accused of killing three women in an hour-long, revenge-fuelled rampage across the Ottawa Valley two years ago, has been found guilty on two counts of first-degree murder and one of second-degree murder.
Borutski, 60, confessed to police after he was arrested for the killings of Carol Culleton, 66, Anastasia Kuzyk, 36 and Nathalie Warmerdam, 48, which took place in the space of less than an hour on Sept. 22, 2015.
He was facing three counts of first-degree murder.
In a videotaped interview that was played at trial, Borutski expressed a degree of remorse for his actions, which he said were fuelled by rage at what he considered to be the lies and betrayals of his victims.
Prior to the murders, Borutski, who defended himself at trial but barely said a word during the proceedings, which lasted nearly two months, had twice spent time in jail after two of the women accused him of assault and uttering threats.
In the video, he described how he was acting like a “zombie” on the day in question, saying he’d originally planned to take his own life, but decided against it because he believes it’s wrong to take an innocent life.
Sentencing is set to take place December 5 and 6, in Pembroke.
Victim impact statements will be read in court before Borutski’s sentence is delivered.
